Jinx
by Ambrel
Summary: Somehow, Aerrow managed to think up that daring pan and rid us of the beast. I was still in awe of how his small, childish brain was able to conjure up something on the spot like that.
1. How It Started

**How It Started**

**Written by: Ambrel**

_Aerrow_

I'm usually a pretty optimistic kinda guy. I mean, I'm usually the charger. The go-getter. I get things done. That's just part of who I am.

I'm pretty simple, when you think about it. I have my goals and I go after them.

Like today.

I won't go into the details, but it was a pretty intense fight. I mean, I was going to be feeling it in the morning, you know? I was tailing the Dark Ace and he just couldn't shake me. I knew it. _This_ was the fight. _This _was the day that I would knock that smug smile off of his face. Bust him down a few pegs.

Oh, yeah.

I was on a roll.

Here comes the ironic part. You know, the part where your good day just goes downhill.

The worst part is, I don't really even know how to explain it.

It was…well, it was big, I know that. And loud. And really, really bright.

I think it was…um…

Well, I don't exactly _know _what happened. But whatever it was, it made my ears ring.

And it messed up my skimmer pretty bad.

And my glider, too.

So you can probably imagine my surprise when I found myself plummeting through thick clouds. I was lucky that I always wore my reserve 'chute, though.

I guess through the stress and panic, I hadn't notice this strange…peculiar feeling wash through me. Kinda like…I dunno, the feeling you'd get after eating Junko's cooking.

Sorta sick.

I chalked that up to the mind numbing fear of falling thousands of feet, at the time.

I wont describe the fall, since that sort of thing gets a little boring after the initial shock. Trying to land in the Wastelands was hard enough, but maneuvering around to miss the lava pits was even worse.

Once I'd landed, relatively non-crispy and unburnt, I looked around.

The queasy feeling seemed to get stronger, and I found myself doubling over. Cramps. Like, _bad, _horrible, vomit inducing cramps. It started in my stomach and spread outward. It was the single most agonizing thing I'd experienced…_ever._

And…remember what I said about irony?

Yeah.

This part sucks.

I was reaching for my hand radio to try to get some help, when I heard a mocking laugh from above.

Oh yeah.

"Hello, Aerrow," the Dark Ace chuckled darkly.

OOO

Word Count: 391

Okay, I know what you're thinking. 'Not _another_ drabble series! Sheesh, take a break, Ambrel!'

But this one's different! Here's the catch:

I'm doing this one as a collaboration with MyLoyalGuardian. And on top of that, we're alternating characters. I get to write Aerrow, since I have less experience with him, and she gets to be Dark Ace, since I drew the short straw.

These are going to be 400 words or less, as a challenge to both myself and MyLoyalGuardian.

Thanks for reading!


	2. Damned Kid

**Damned Kid**

**Written by: MyLoyalGuardian**

_Dark Ace_

I could read the little brat's face. His eyes shook as he looked up towards me.

As if falling out of the sky into the Wastelands wasn't enough, I had to land here with _him._ And to think I was worried about him catching up to me...

Remind me never to cross paths with that navigator of his again. That blast gave me a excruciatingly painful headache... and the rest of me seems to agree....

The Sky Knight here seems to feel the same way. Through his overly confident, fear-stricken expression, I could see there was an unbearable pain rising through the surface.

Good.

Maybe I hit him on the way down...

"Don't bother with your radio, Aerrow," the grin reached past my eyes, "Communication down here is useless. You should know that by now..."

He put on such a tough front. His smile said he knew how to take care of every situation they could ever face, but his eyes said different. It's not such a great idea to let your enemies know your weaknesses, and I could read this kid like a book.

"I don't need to radio them. My team will look for me," he winced, struggling to straighten his spine.

He was so confident that his little teenage book club was actually going to come and save him. I wonder what he would do if there was a time they _couldn't _come to his rescue...

Ought to bring his perfect little world down a few notches.

I resisted the urge to draw my blade. I wasn't the only one who had to figure out how to get out of this damned place. "You know that skittish Merb wont go near this place, and any of the others aren't skilled enough to land in a place like this," my features quickly dropped to a frown.

His eyes flickered towards me, "You don't know them."

"If _you're_ supposed to be their chosen leader, I can only assume what little the rest are capable of."

His knuckles were pure white.

"I pay a lot more attention to things than you could imagine," my smile reappeared, "You should see how that Piper girl looks at you when your back's turned. Would be a shame if you didn't make it back. I wondered how long it would be before I could tear that poor excuse for a squadron to shreds..."

ooo

Word count: 400

I had a little trouble writing _Dark_ Ace, because 'Ace' in my story is supposed to be sweet and kind...

I feel giddy now. I haven't been evil in quite some time.

Wonder how in-character I'll stay...


	3. The Geas

**The Geas**

**Written By: Ambrel**

_Aerrow_

It didn't take too long to figure out that something was very, very wrong.

Well, aside from the whole 'stuck in the wastelands with my greatest enemy' thing.

It all started after a few tense moments of staring each other down like we were characters stuck in some sort of contrived story, placed in this situation for some perverse reader's delight. We somehow managed to agree through some sort of mix of body language, grunts, and sneers that we were going to attend to the more pressing need of getting out of the noxious fumes and lava pits that littered the landscape.

He picked a direction. I picked another.

Ash and dust spewed up into the air as I walked. The spot in between my shoulderblades itched whenever I thought of the fact that the Dark Ace was somewhere behind me, even though I pretty much trusted that he wouldn't be trying to come back around to attack me.

I hadn't been walking for long when it happened.

Remember the excruciating, gut wrenching pain that I mentioned earlier?

Well… it came on again. Slower this time, but steady and building. It felt like someone had pried open my abdomen with a dull spoon and was pouring hot sauce into my intestines.

I lurched over in a dry heave. Somewhere behind me, I heard a sharp cry.

I looked past my knees, since my head was level with them at the time, and saw a hazy image of that pompous turncoat. He wasn't as far away as I'd have thought. Fifty feet…maybe less. He'd hit his knees and was holding his head in both hands. I could see an expression of agony on his face.

I got a perverse delight in seeing that, actually.

He turned blindly, rolling to his feet, and stumbled vaguely in my direction, his eyes squeezed shut. I don't think he even knew where he was going at this point, and I would have probably made some smart remark if it hadn't been for the fact that my stomach was trying its best to crawl out of my esophagus and run screaming into the distance.

I couldn't move, the pain was so bad. My bowels twisted like they'd been filled with glass.

And I couldn't do a thing about it as I sank to my knees, arms wrapped around my gut in a futile gesture of protection.

OOO

Word Count: 400

Haha, I gave Aerrow PMS cramps. I am evilness!

Your turn, MyLoyalGuardian.


	4. A Little Pain

**A Little Pain**

**Written by: MyLoyalGuardian**

_Dark Ace_

Ugh...

I have the strangest feeling this is all Aerrow's fault.

Either that, or something got rearranged when I hit the ground. I don't think that would be the case, though... My head is screaming, my insides feel like they're on fire, and I can't even stand up without my vision fading, and at least two of my limbs shaking.

I took in a deep breath, my eyes closed. I had to get closer to him, just close enough to strangle some answers out of him. I took another breath before struggling to get to my feet once more. Shaking, at the very least, I moved closer to Aerrow.

So he's in pain, too?

Now, through my own pain, I can't stop laughing. But, it seemed the closer I got to Aerrow, the less my pain was. My weak laugher grew louder, and now being within a few feet of him, I collapsed to my knees, my palms on the ground.

I still can't stop laughing.

"Something wrong, Aerrow?" I smiled, my head facing the ground. "What, can't take a little pain?" I took another breath, then sat up, now sitting on the ground.

"Oh, like you're so lucky," he looked over his shoulder towards me, then quickly readjusted his gaze back to the ground.

"I've been through hell. This pain is nothing," I lied, shaking my head. "If you think this is bad, you have a long, agonizing life ahead of you."

Aerrow didn't respond. He stayed quiet as he stood up, beginning to walk away again.

I closed my eyes, sighing.

He just wont quit bugging me, does he?

"Where do you think you're going?!" I shouted.

"To get help," he answered simply, continuing to walk.

"It's useless, didn't we already go over that before?" I lowered my voice, beginning to grow more agitated with his stupidity.

Finally, I was going to get a break from him. I didn't have to look at his annoying little face anymore.

But, the farther he got, the more I realized it _was _his fault.

_He_ was the reason why I was in pain.

Just... one slight problem. It seems to affect both of us simultaneously.

But, what's causing it?

Well, all I can do now is sit back... and blame him.

"Damn it, Aerrow, this is all your fault!" I managed to shout, though the pain was getting worse.

ooo

Word count: 398

Ooh. I got so close to the line on this one. I cut it back like... ten or so times. I though it would've been a bit better, too. Ahh well.

I kind of feel bad for Aerrow, though.

Poor kid...

xD Alright, I lied. Now _I_ can't stop laughing.


	5. An Uneasy Truce

**An Uneasy Truce**

**Written by: Ambrel**

_Aerrow_

It was kinda surreal.

If someone had told me this morning that I would be walking next to the Dark Ace, I would have laughed in their face.

I groaned. "Do you _have _to walk right next to me?"

He glanced sidelong at me, obliquely. "Would you rather me behind you?"

At my silence, he laughed mockingly.

But after that, he'd stayed out of reach from me. We were walking far enough apart that a skimmer could pass between us with wings deployed, but it was still a little too close for comfort for me.

I rubbed the bridge of my nose.

There had been a half hearted attempt at a fight after that strange episode of pain had passed, but that had revealed something even worse than the idea of being stuck in the Wastelands with the Dark Ace.

It seemed that every blow, bruise, and cut I managed to inflict on him was mirrored back to me. And vice versa. I was sporting a cauterized slash across my left cheek. It was identical to the one I had inflicted on him with my energy blades.

When that happened it shocked me into immobility and he'd found an opening in my guard. He had gotten me with a savage kick to the side of the knee.

The fact that I'd left myself open hurt my pride, but it was worth it to see the surprise and pain on his face as he fell on his ass seconds later.

All feeling of satisfaction aside, we were walking with identical limps now.

So yeah. I was stuck with the Dark Ace, and neither of us was terribly happy about it. "I can't wait till I can get rid of you." I muttered under my breath.

"If it wasn't for the fact that killing you would probably kill me, you'd be a moldering carcass for the lava worms to feed on." He answered.

"I could take you."

"I seriously doubt you could overpower me in hand to hand." He replied. Then he grinned. "I wonder…"

"Eh?"

My hand exploded in sudden pain. "What the hell!"

Dark Ace was grinning broadly, covering up a wince and shaking his right fist loosely. There were smudges of blood on a column of rock next to him.

Blood dripped from the knuckles of my right hand. "Bastard."

He just laughed.

OOO

Word Count: 394

Hah, this was fun. Sorry about missing a day, I was a bit busy last night. Anyhow, this chapter made me laugh, especially at the end.

Next up, MyLoyalGuardian!


	6. Crystals

**Crystals**

**Written by: MyLoyalGuardian**

_Dark Ace_

It's sad, really. To be so sadistic to the point where you actually injure yourself in order to see another cry out.

I find it rather funny, actually.

Now, it seems every time I look at the boy, I smile, thinking of hundreds of other ways to bruise his fragile little body. I even tend to laugh a bit, though it quickly fades once I realize that I'm putting myself at risk by hurting him.

Come to think of it... If I could find my Switchblade, I could patch myself up and be done with it while I watch the Sky Knight squirm. Now is one of those times where you wish you carried more than a weapon with you at all times...

Worst of all...

If I was going to survive long enough to escape this hellhole, I had to keep _him_ alive. I don't know how, but I'll have to.

I looked down at my hand, feeling a slight pang as I dug my fingernails into the torn, vulnerable skin. It didn't hurt as bad as I'd thought, though it would undoubtedly be infected soon enough.

I'll probably die of boredom before anything else can get to me, though. I can't get far enough away from Aerrow to do anything worth while, and there isn't much to do in this strange place.

Ew... Speaking of, the god-awful air this place provides doesn't do much justice to our situation, either. Tastes like... brimstone and ash. Disgusting.

Not that it was an appropriate question for the time being, but...

"Did you happen to bring any crystals with you?"

Aerrow looked towards me, a very displeased and confused expression lay on his features. "Yeah, like I could hold onto any crystals while I was falling hundreds of feet through the sky."

I gritted my teeth, digging my fingernails into the palms of my hands; particularly into the newly-torn hand. The pain subsided my anger, giving me something else to focus on other than the kid's poor attempt at sarcasm.

"I had a few in my Skimmer, but I doubt they survived the crash," he scoffed, looking towards the ground, now.

I looked away from Aerrow out of the corner of my eye, the slightest bit of hope shining through my red orbs. "Really...," my eyes were slowly drawn back to him, a devilish smile growing on my face.

ooo

Word count: 399

Ooh. I had a tough time keeping up with the last chapter. I always try to make it just as interesting, if not, more so than the last, but this one just seemed to amuse me.

I'm still also trying to get used to the 400 word-cap. I'm so used to writing until I can't, but it'll pay off in the end, for sure!

Now, let's see what depressing and twisted thing Ambrel can come up with next...


	7. The Rules

**The Rules**

**Written By: Ambrel**

Aerrow

I stared out into the distance. The ash in the air made me squint. "I have no clue where my skimmer fell." I remarked, trying to keep from gritting my teeth. "What about you?"

All I got from him was a nonchalant shrug.

I rolled my eyes and picked up the pace. He fell behind for a moment and I clenched in anticipation of that horrible pain, but he soon caught up with me.

It was a terse moment before he huffed angrily at me. "Don't run off again, boy."

"Oh yeah? Why? You afraid to be out alone? Should I hold your hand?" I shot back. Man…I sounded like Finn.

"I'll-"

"You'll what?" I retorted, stopping in my tracks and facing him. "You'll stub your toe at me?" I threw my hands up in the air and turned on my heel.

"I can stand a lot more pain than you can ever hope to-"

"You know what? Shut up."

Good grief, that man was infuriating. And he had the nerve to try and treat me like a kid!

That was when I suddenly couldn't breathe. He had me in a headlock so fast that I didn't even know what happened. "Listen to me. And listen closely, because I will only say this once." His voice burned right in my ear. "One, do not run off. I don't care what happens to you, but I have a mission and I intend on completing it. Two, stop throwing your damn tantrum. Once this stupid effect is gone, I'll kill you myself if you desire it so badly, but you're liable to attract something down here that can take us both out without effort. Three, stop being so _bloody spoiled."_

He shoved me away and I had the brief satisfaction of seeing him wince and rub at his neck from where he squeezed my own throat before I jumped back up to my feet. I stared him down. "Fine. If we're laying ground rules, then here's another one." I stepped close…toe to toe. "Don't touch me. _Ever. _Don't treat me like a child. I've kicked your ass before and I can do it again. And remember, the minute we're free of this problem, I'm taking you down." I narrowed my eyes.

"You know," he replied sarcastically, "it's too bad you're a damned moron. You've got stones."

OOO

Word Count: 394

Okay, so it wasn't all that great. I'm having a mediocre night tonight.

Hope you liked it anyway. Have fun with this, MyLoyalGuardian.


	8. Discovery

**Discovery**

**Written by: MyLoyalGuardian**

_Dark Ace_

You know what? I'm looking forward to is wringing this stubborn, immature kid's neck when this is all said and done. I had the chance once or twice. I should've taken it before.

I probably wouldn't be in this mess if I had.

Right. It's all that damned kid's fault.

"That navigator of yours is a crystal expert," I said dryly, "You must've learned _something_ from her."

He kept his gaze toward the ground. "...Your point?"

I clenched my jaw. "You should know something about fixing this... you must've grasped _something_ through that thick skull of yours," I looked at him.

"We've never dealt with something like this," he glanced at me for a moment, then quickly looked back at the ground. "Not this severe."

Ha.

"I wouldn't expect any less," I smirked.

"What does that mean?"

I shook my head at his stupidity.

He stayed particularly quiet after an angered grunt.

"Idiot," I mumbled.

He quickly looked up and over towards me.

I didn't bother to dignify his irritation with a response.

His lips thinned to a line as he stopped in his tracks, arms folded across his chest.

I rolled my eyes, continuing to walk. He knew the consequences, he'll follow if he knows what's good for him.

I didn't hear those quiet footsteps, nor did I hear his voice. I glanced over my shoulder to see him still standing there, staring at the back of my head. I took another three steps, and soon began to feel that unbearable pain.

I scowled and turned around, charging towards him. "You little..." I grabbed his left forearm and twisted it, pinning it against his back as he fell flat on the ground. "You think you can hurt me? You think this will get to me? Huh?!" I made sure it hurt. I could feel the fire in my arm and the pain in my back, the scrape on my cheek and chin. Probably hurts like hell for the brat.

Good.

He gained enough leverage to lay his head to the side. He spit out a few rocks that had fell into his mouth in the struggle. Soon, he lay still. "Your... skimmer..." he winced.

I kept a steady eye on him as he spoke, then cautiously looked up. I smiled, "You might actually come in handy, Sky Knight," I began to lighten up, seeing what he found.

ooo

Word count: 398

I had a bit of trouble matching Ambrel's hostility, but I got some in at the end! Ah well.

Now let's see Ambrel work her magic xD


	9. Wasting Time

**Wasting Time**

**Written by: Ambrel**

Aerrow

He didn't say a word to me after he let me up. He just walked over to the wreckage as though I were of no consequence.

And when I say wreckage, I mean _wreckage. _The only reason I even recognized the thing was because of the emblem on the dented, detached wing blade and the shredded front tire that had rolled a little ways from the main pile.

It looked like some giant had spiked that thing into the earth. There was even a crater in the hard rock that comprised the ground.

The Dark Ace was rooting through something that might once have been a storage chest. Now, it was pretty much unrecognizable scraps of metal and paint. "I know it's here somewhere…" he muttered to himself.

I approached cautiously. I knew he wouldn't kill me, but apparently he was some sort of closet masochist, considering how easily he had attacked me moments ago.

Even as I neared, he got a mocking grin on his face as he held up a heavy looking pack. He reached inside and pulled out a rope, a grapple, and a first aid kit. I could tell from the shape of the sack that it still contained some items, though.

Breaking the kit open, he went about repairing the wound in his hand, not even bothering to see if I needed any help…not that I would have accepted it anyway. He looked very smug and pleased with himself.

"Got what you needed?" I snapped. "Good. You're wasting time."

I walked. I could almost hear him grind his teeth as he followed. "You," he growled, "are not very bright."

I rolled my eyes. "I could say the same of you."

He didn't dignify that with a response.

After a while, I glanced over at him with a smirk. "I wonder…do you ever stop to think about anything?"

"Do you ever stop spewing bullshit?"

I shrugged. "Yeah, well, you can't blame me when your hand gets infected and falls off."

"That's not going to happen, twit."

"Oh, yeah. Because the fact that whatever happens to me happens to you doesn't mean that when I get gangrene in my hand, it won't infect yours either. My mistake."

We continued on in silence for a while, me with smug satisfaction, he in black anger.

I almost didn't catch the first aid kit when he threw it at me.

OOO

Word Count: 400

Hehe, this was kinda hard to write. There was so much more I wanted to put in here but the word limit made it a little hard.


	10. Hurry Up

**Hurry Up**

**Written by: MyLoyalGuardian**

_Dark Ace_

Damn. I actually missed.

Maybe if I actually hit him, I could've knocked some sense into him for once.

I did, though, have to remember if _his_ injuries don't heal, mine sure as hell won't. So, I gave the wimpy little kid the first aid kit. It's the least I can do to save my own life.

He looked at me for a moment before sitting directly on the ground, sifting through the remaining supplies.

I shook my head, rolling my eyes. "Can't walk, breathe, and patch yourself up all at once?" I chuckled, opting to sit a good distance from him on a nice rock. "I thought they taught you that on the first day in that so-called academy."

It was a difficult task, but he already called me out for 'wasting time.' I can't exactly waste an opportunity to get back at him.

"I suggest," he paused, ripping the medical tape with his teeth, "You keep your mouth shut."

"Or what?" I smiled. It might actually be slightly amusing to see his feverish attempts to hurt me. It sure would do more damage to him than to myself.

He didn't respond, proceeding to wrap his injuries. His hand was the first one done. Then, he moved the clothing covering his shoulder, wrapping that.

Ooh. Guess I got him there when I tackled him down. I suppose it means I've got it, too.

"Hurry up and finish. You said you might have some useful items on your skimmer, then we should continue to look for it," I kicked my feet out, resting my hands behind my head. I laughed quietly as I saw Aerrow flinch as I moved.

"The more you rush me, the longer I'll make you wait," he retorted, tossing the medical tape back with the rest of the supplies.

I scoffed, trying to keep my mind elsewhere. I kept a close eye on his as I let my thoughts wander.

I wonder if Master Cyclonis even knows I'm gone? I'm sure she'll send out the talons to come looking for me soon enough. Then again... There's that possibility she could assume I'm dead and be done with it.

Either way, I'll probably die in this living hell. Most likely because of Aerrow.

"So," Aerrow began with a sigh, tearing me from my thoughts, "How the hell are we going to get out of this mess?"

ooo

Word count: 400

Oh man. I had a hell of a time writing this one.

I think something needs to happen, don't you? I'll let Ambrel decide.


	11. Gurgle

**Gurgle**

**Written by: Ambrel**

_Aerrow_

_Gurgle._

What the hell?

That was a weird noise.

_Gurgle._

I glanced over at the Dark Ace, eyebrow raised. He stared determinedly ahead. His backpack hung securely from his lean frame.

_Gurgle._

"You hear that?"

"Hear what?" he snapped, too quickly.

_Gurgle._

I snickered. He bristled, but said nothing.

_Gurgle._

"Damn, are you digesting your own stomach over there?"

"It's bad enough having to abide your presence. Must you pollute the air with your noise too?"

_Gurgle._

"I don't think I'm the one guilty of noise pollution at the moment…" I laughed. "What, don't they feed you in Cyclonia?"

He ground his teeth and muttered something impolite.

We walked on in silence for a while. I wasn't hungry. I'd eaten right before the fight started and we'd only been down here for a few hours, so far.

I'd half-expected to feel the hunger pangs. In fact, I was rather surprised that I didn't. I guess it was only inflicted wounds and the subsequent infections that we shared, not natural occurrences.

Interesting. I filed that away in my memory.

Man, Piper was either going to kill me or hug me when we find our way out. I could only imagine how excited she'd be to discover this little crystal anomaly.

_Gurgle._

I sighed. "That's getting annoying."

"Shut up."

I shook my head. As I did, I caught sight of something through the ash and fumes. I took off for it.

"Damn you, stop running off!" he roared behind me. I didn't pay attention. I was too busy looking for hand holds in the massive column of rock that rose up from the ground, into the noxious clouds above.

He snagged my collar and yanked me off of the rock face before I had gotten more than a few feet up. "Are you bloody stupid?" he snarled, giving me a shake before releasing me. I shoved his hand away and pointed up.

"Are you blind?" I retorted. "My skimmer's up there. I saw it on the ledge. It has supplies. And hell, as long as we're going up, we may as well leave the wastelands before something big decides we look tasty!"

I heard another rumbled. I rolled my eyes. "And I don't think you're going to make it. That one almost made the ground shake."

"Hate to disappoint you, Aerrow," The Dark Ace gritted, "But that wasn't me, this time."

OOO

Word Count: 399

Okay. Here we go with the moving along of the story. Took me a little while to get written, so sorry for the delay.

Your turn, MyLoyalGuardian!


	12. Claws

**Claws**

**Written by: MyLoyalGuardian**

_Dark Ace_

"I'm not sticking around to find out," the boy grabbed the wall again, climbing upwards.

The growling became more of a rumble, and I could feel it through the ground.

Hell if I'm staying on the ground to find out what's making that noise. "Move it," I grasped one of the lower ledges, shoving him out of the way as I climbed.

Aerrow grunted, losing his hold on one of the ledges. He grasped my foot, seeing I was the closest thing to him.

"Let go or you're not coming back with that hand," I warned, kicking my foot around slightly.

He soon let go of my leg when he regained his balance, and I continued to climb.

The rumbling grew louder, accompanied by that initial growling. Small pebbles fell from the top of the cliff. I looked up. Claws. _Very_ thick claws gripped the cliff. Damn it, this stupid Sky Knight keeps getting me into all the terrible situations.

"Jump."

"What? Are you crazy? It's twenty feet at least!" he looked down.

"Jump or we both die!" I growled, knowing it would take too long to explain it to him.

"No! We're going up there, hell or high water! My skimmer's there, and--"

"Damn it, Aerrow!" I slid down a few ledges, luckily catching myself next to him. I could feel the new holes in my freshly bandaged skin. "You _don't_ want to know what's up there. That _thing_ could kill us both! Get your scrawny ass on the ground or come up there with me and face it!"

Even if he managed to muster up the strength to fight the creature with me... there's a good chance we wont survive.

I began climbing again. The claws gripped the ground harder, showing me it wasn't going to move. It was going to put up a big fight...

Whatever _it_ was, it was probably primitive. A creature unadjusted to any society but the rural ruins it lives in. If that's the case, it's probably tougher than the Condor itself.

And if that's true... We're both screwed.

I waited just below the edge of the cliff, out of view from the creature.

Something grabbed my wrist and I immediately jumped.

"You wont survive on your own, and hell if I'm going to let that be the death of me," Aerrow nodded, looking upwards.

ooo

Word count: 392

Ooh, looks like we're getting somewhere...

Haha. Can't wait to see how brutal this gets. Awesomeeee.

Have fun, Ambrel.


	13. A Little Scrap

**A Little Scrap**

**Written By: Ambrel**

Aerrow

I don't even know what that thing could be called.

It was scary, that's for damn sure. Big. It was probably painful. It was the type of thing that would probably give me nightmares for weeks, all claws and teeth and sinewy skin. It was built much like a dog, but it had leathery flaps on its limbs that made it look somewhat like a demented flying squirrel with sharp, pointy talons.

I seriously don't know how we made it onto that ledge with that thing staring us down, but we did. And no sooner did I have my feet under me, when it jumped at me with a vicious snarl.

I dodged sideways, gasping at the fetid reek coming from the thing. There was a sulphuric, briny odor that wafted from it in waves. "Look," I grunted at the Dark Ace, "I think we found your boss a birthday present. They're a perfect match."

I don't know what he said to that, because my side suddenly exploded into shards of jagged pain. Blood seeped from beneath my shirt, which was still intact. That damned Talon must have gone and let himself get hit.

Spiteful asshole.

I looked up to see the thing rearing up on its hind legs, a giant clawed mitt coming down in a deadly arc to the Dark Ace's exposed back. He was still off balance from the blow to his side. "Oh, no you don't!" I growled, launching myself forward. The skin around my new wounds stretched and tore a little at my exertion, but I ignored it.

The hell if I'd die because of the Dark Ace's mistakes. And beyond that, there was no way anyone but _me _was going to take that bastard out.

I collided with the creature's head and held on. It was unbelievably fast, raking my shoulders and cheek with its claws and shrieking in a disturbingly human like way. It stumbled backwards, franticly batting at me as I tried my best to not get thrown. "Hey!" I shouted above the struggle, "Dark Ace! Now's a _damn _good time to get off your ass!"

A flash of red fire gleamed suddenly, almost blending in with the general background of the wastelands. I hunkered down over the thing's back as blood streamed into my face from the gouges in my scalp.

OOO

Word Count: 390

Oh god, I am so sorry for being so late. But, alas, its holiday season and family seems to like visiting me around this time of year.

Also, hope this is up to par with the quality of MyLoyalGuardian's side. It was kinda hard to do a fight scene in so few words.

You're up next! Lets see what ya got.


	14. A Distraction

**A Distraction**

**Written by: MyLoyalGuardian **

_Dark Ace_

Something had to be broken. I wasn't sure if I'd gotten hit, or if Aerrow did. All I knew is I was in pain, my vision was almost black, and I was on the ground.

I wasn't a total wreck; I managed to prop myself up, even if I couldn't stand. Blood began to roll down from my head, tracing the corners of my eyes, nose, and mouth until they dripped off my chin. Aerrow seemed to still be kicking, thank God.

I opened my eyes enough to look around, though my vision didn't want to focus. I looked to my left; I was within arms reach of the boy's skimmer. It was in terrible shape, if it even survived at all. An idea - what could he possibly have in his skimmer (that didn't get completely ruined) that could save our hides? Crystals, maybe? If they survived. What about a reactor? If that Sky Knight was smart enough to carry a reactor of _some_ kind, we could attach it to the strange beast and blow it to shreds.

"Aerrow..." I struggled to stand.

"Little busy here!" He quickly glanced over towards me, a slight glimmer of hope as he saw me. Though, he had his hands on his head, blood dripping down his arms. We were both in horrendous shape. The beast decided to come in for another have at it, its enormous paw-like hands gouging into the ground, missing Aerrow. "What?!" He looked up once more.

"Do you... have anything on your skimmer?!" I shouted.

A long moment of silence, followed by the creature running after me. "I might! Distract him for me!"

I sighed, knowing I had no choice. He was, after all, coming after _me_ at the moment. "Hey ogre!" I stood up straight, waving to get the beast's attention. Its blazing eyes shot over at me, letting out a deep growl. He charged toward me, and I bolted in another direction.

The monster was large enough that his maneuverability would be less than that of myself. Sure enough, it skidded as it tried to turn with the precision had. Unfortunately, his reach was further than I'd calculated, and he hit me in one fatal swipe.

I hit the ground. _Hard_. If I thought my head was pounding before, if I thought I was in pain before...

Why did I have to be the distraction?

ooo

Word count: 399

You guys won't believe the few weeks I've had. First, it's Thanksgiving over here in the states, then it's finals week... for two weeks! Then I get distracted by my brand new PS3 and Heavenly Sword game, along with Eternal Sonata game! Sheesh...


	15. Impressive

**Impressive**

**Written By: Ambrel**

_Aerrow_

My vision grayed as fire burned across my back and lower left side. "Can't you _dodge?_" I rasped once my breath evened out enough to speak clearly. I could already feel the blood oozing from my torn hide. Did the idiot hit his head too? I had one hell of a headache…

I disregarded the pain and dragged my way to my skimmer. Somewhere in that thing, I had a couple of crystals. Granted, I'm not exactly the type to use crystals in combat, so I knew they would just be ordinary, the type used for vehicle maintenance and performance.

Still, better than nothing.

I made it to the skimmer. In the small cargo compartment, I found the bag that Piper always managed to keep stocked with all sorts of useful objects, still tied shut in one of those complicated knots she enjoys so much. I tore it open and reached inside.

There were seven small fuel crystals, a separate bag of paralyzers, and several cooking crystals. I felt around the bottom frantically, and came up with even more of a prize: Two velocity crystals and an enhancer stone.

Now, I'm not a genius with this stuff like Piper, but I'm good at improvising.

Reaching into the bag of paralyzers, I turned. "Hey, Ugly!" I shouted, waving my arms over my head. The beast, which had been busy getting ready to eat the Dark Ace's face, turned to me in irritation. "Yeah!" I huffed. "Come on, ya giant squirrel-dog! Come fight with a _real _challenge!"

It worked. The thing snarled and leapt at me. At that very moment, I hurled the paralyzer at its legs and it dropped, skidding across the ledge to land on its side. Unfortunately, it was large enough to for the stone to have only affected half of its body and its mouth still gnashed wildly.

So that's when I limped over to it and chucked a velocity stone into its mouth. It swallowed convulsively.

Good.

My skimmer was scattered all over the place. I reached down and picked up the remains of an exhaust pipe, about four feet long.

I reared back and swung the pipe, putting all of my strength behind it. I hit the thing square in where I imagined its stomach would be.

It shot off the cliff like a rocket.

"…im…press…ive…" I heard the bastard say, right before I blacked out.

OOO

Word Count: 400

Okay, sorry for the delay. I've been having a hectic week of it. Looking to update my other fics as I can, but apart from Stranded this is my main focus at the moment.

I hoped you enjoyed. Please review! Next up: Dark Ace!


	16. Afterglow

**Afterglow**

**Written by: MyLoyalGuardian **

_Dark Ace_

I smiled, a laugh rising in my chest. "You're one hell of a--" Though, once I got to opening my eyes, I realized I was on the ground. Aerrow was as well, but he was still out cold. "Of an idiot...," I continued.

I struggled to sit up; I was a wreck. The entire 'battlefield' was a mess as well. Aerrow's skimmer was no longer identifiable. Somehow, Aerrow managed to think up that daring pan and rid us of the beast. I was still in awe of how his small, childish brain was able to conjure up something on the spot like that.

I groaned loudly, itching the new scabs on my scalp. The large, gaping gashes on my back were still fresh, raw and bleeding. The boy was bleeding as well. Shouldn't he be awake? If I'm awake…

"Aerrow."

Nothing.

"Boy, you better wake up!"

Still nothing.

Maybe he lost more blood than I did? In that case... he's in critical condition. That means _I _am as well! "Aerrow, don't do this," I stood up, rushing to his side. I placed the back of my hand on the boy's cheek - cold. I flipped him over and pressed my ear to his chest - he was still alive. "Damn it, wake up!" I shook him.

Aerrow groaned.

I sighed, "Aerrow?"

"Go away, I'm tired," he pushed me away.

I growled, "Damn it, don't do that!"

He smiled. "Leave me be, I'm tired." He rolled himself over.

"You need to wake up. We're in a shape something bad. I'm not sure if we have enough supplies left to take care of our battle scars, either."

"We'll be fine," he told me. "I imagine we're both in pain, but we're not dead, are we?"

"Not yet, no, but we don't have much longer in the shape we're in." I stood up. "I suggest we leave immediately. If that beast is anything like what I've seen, there's more on the way. He's fast, but he couldn't track my scent. I don't care if you're tired. We have to go."

He grumbled, cursing under his breath as he got to his feet. "I took care of that one, I can do it again!"

"Oh, for the love of... For just once, could you put your ego aside, and look at what's at stake?"

Aerrow sighed, and agreed. "Fine. Let's go, then."

ooo

Word count: 400 ((Though my word counter likes to lie. Says its 399...))

I'm really sorry for making you all wait so long. I seem to be the one keeping the story from moving along. Though, I think it's procrastination. Some of you may know I was able to start up another story, so you may have guessed it was procrastination xD So anyway, I'll try my best not to be so lazy.


End file.
